A Southeast Alaska state legislator wants action to save Alaska Native languages.
Ketchikan independent Rep. Dan Ortiz, introduced House Concurrent Resolution 19, which calls for Gov. Bill Walker to “issue an administrative order recognizing a ‘linguistic emergency'” for Alaska Native languages.
“I don’t want to see any of our Native languages disappear, and will work with every member of the House and Senate to get this resolution to the governor’s desk as soon as possible,” Ortiz said in news release.
The resolution comes after the Alaska Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council issued a report detailing the continuing decline of the 20 recognized indigenous languages in the state.
The council urged Walker to take action.
